SLO County Fishing Report — September 23, 2026

Good morning, Central Coast anglers! Here's your fishing report for September 23rd, 2026.

🌤️ Conditions Overview

Wednesday brings challenging ocean conditions! A Small Craft Advisory is in effect through late tonight due to strong NW winds and elevated seas. Winds of 20-25 kt with seas 8-10 ft will make for rough boating conditions. Lake fishing remains the safer bet today, with mild temperatures and good conditions on the freshwater.

Note: USGS lake data is experiencing temporary service delays. Lake level data from alternate sources included where available.

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🏞️ Lake Fishing Reports

Lake Nacimiento

Status: 🟢 Great Water Level: ~748 ft MSL (seasonal estimate) Water Temp: 68-72°F (estimated, based on seasonal norms)

Bass fishing remains excellent! The warm September water has fish active throughout the day, with early morning and late evening providing the best topwater action. With schools of shad throughout the lake, the bass are feeding aggressively.

What's Biting:

• 🐟 Largemouth bass - Great on topwater lures at dawn/dusk
• 🐠 White bass - Active near shad schools
• 🦐 Crappie - Good near submerged structure

Best Bets:

• Main lake points in 15-25 ft
• Las Tables area and up the narrows
• Floating baitfish schools in the mornings

Tips: Use light tackle for more action. Crawdad patterns working well midday. Watch for floating debris and grass. The bass are keying on shad—try small swimbaits!

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Lopez Lake

Status: 🟢 Good Water Level: Healthy for late September (estimated) Water Temp: 65-70°F (estimated)

Bass fishing is solid with good action on shad rap, zoom worms, and crawdad patterns. Most catches coming from shallow water pockets and coves near structure.

Best Bets:

• Shallow pockets and coves
• Points with creek channel access
• Docks and pier areas

Tips: Fish are feeding heavily on shad. Try small swimbaits and spinnerbaits!

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Santa Margarita Lake

Status: 🟡 Fair Water Temp: 64-68°F (estimated)

Bass fair but holding deep during midday heat. Crappie and catfish picking up at dusk and dawn near submerged timber.

Best Bets:

• Deep water structure at dawn/dusk
• Crappie near brush piles
• Catfish on cut bait at night

Tips: Focus on early morning hours when water is coolest.

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🌊 Ocean Fishing - Morro Bay

Status: 🔴 Rough (Not Recommended Today) Conditions: Small Craft Advisory - Dangerous boating conditions Water Temp: 66-67°F (19°C from Buoy 46011) Wave Height: 8-10 ft (2.4-2.8 m)

⚠️ ADVISORY: Small Craft Advisory in effect through late tonight. Ocean conditions are hazardous for small vessels. Check conditions before considering any boat fishing.

Current Ocean Data (Buoy 46011 - Pt Conception):

• Wind: NW (320-340°) at 8-10 m/s (~18-22 mph), gusting higher
• Wave Height: 8-10 ft (2.4-2.8 m)
• Wave Period: 8-9 seconds
• Water Temp: 66-67°F (19°C)
• Air Temp: 61-62°F (16.5°C)
• Pressure: 1011.2-1011.8 hPa (steady)

NOAA Marine Forecast - Point Pinos to Point Piedras Blancas:

• Today: NW wind 10-20 kt, seas 7-9 ft
• Tonight: NW wind 15-20 kt, seas 7-8 ft
• Thursday: NW wind 10-15 kt, seas 6-7 ft (improving)
• Friday: N wind 15-20 kt becoming NW 20-25 kt - Rough again

Best Bet: Wait until Thursday for improved conditions. Rockfish action should be excellent when seas calm down.

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🌊 Tide Schedule - Morro Bay (September 23)

Note: Tide data based on NOAA predictions for Morro Bay (Station 9411406)

Time	Tide	Height
~5:30 AM	Low	~0.3 ft
~12:00 PM	High	~5.5 ft
~6:00 PM	Low	~0.3 ft
~11:30 PM	High	~5.0 ft

Best Tide: High tides around noon and midnight are ideal for rockfish and lingcod. Low tides expose structure for shore fishing.

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🌙 Solunar Forecast - September 23

Period	Time	Activity
Major	5:15 AM - 7:15 AM	🟢 Prime
Minor	11:45 AM - 1:45 PM	🟡 Good
Major	5:45 PM - 7:45 PM	🟢 Prime
Minor	12:00 AM - 2:00 AM	🟡 Good

Best Times: Early morning (5:30-7:30 AM) and evening (5:30-7:30 PM) for best fishing!

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📅 Extended Forecast

Thursday: NW winds easing to 10-15 kt - ✅ Good fishing conditions Friday: Winds increasing again, rough seas expected Saturday: Improving conditions - Good prospects Sunday: Moderate winds, decent ocean conditions

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🎣 Gear Recommendations

Lake:

• Topwater lures (frog, popper) for early morning
• Shad rap in chrome/silver
• Crawdad jigs (4-6") for midday
• Dropshot rigs for deep water

Ocean (when conditions allow):

• Rockfish leader (20-30 lb)
• Lingcod tackle (40-60 lb)
• Fresh bait (sardines, anchovies)
• Surf gear for pier fishing

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📬 Stay Connected

Got a hot report? Send your photos and tips to tips@calcoasttides.com — we love featuring local catches!

See you on the water! 🎣

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Report generated for SLO County waters. Always check CDFW regulations before heading out. Ocean data courtesy of NOAA NDBC Buoy 46011 and NOAA Marine Forecast.